What Should Be the Minimum Age to Buy Your Child a Cell Phone?
Not so many years ago, cell phones where, quite frankly, the size of half a house brick and were mainly used for business due to their bulkiness.
Today's models are very slim and sophisticated and its hard to find someone who doesn't own one.
They have become so popular that landlines are being removed from homes as the cells are now working out cheaper.
Cell phones are very convenient, especially for working parents.
It doesn't seem right however, to see pre teens with them permanently attached to their ear.
It's a question all parents should ask themselves; at what age should I give my kid a cell? Do I have the answer? Well I have an opinion.
I personally think that no child should have a cell before they are a teenage, 14 being the earliest age.
They will have a wider circle of friends by this age and be able to do a lot more unsupervised.
By giving them their own phone at this age they are old enough to appreciate it and it is also there for emergencies.
There is no reason at all to let a kid under the age of 14 a phone.
They won't take responsibility seriously and as they shouldn't be going to places where they aren't getting picked up, they have no need to contact you.
They will think of the cell as some kind of toy and abuse it.
You must have heard the horror stories about the parents getting their cell phone bills and their kids have ran up hundreds of dollars worth of calls.
This is where I would advise you getting them a pay as you go phone.
You can then keep a check on the minutes they are using and what hey are spending.
A good way is to top it up at the beginning of the month and tell them that if they use up their allowance before the month is out, they will have to top it up themselves.
Today's models are very slim and sophisticated and its hard to find someone who doesn't own one.
They have become so popular that landlines are being removed from homes as the cells are now working out cheaper.
Cell phones are very convenient, especially for working parents.
It doesn't seem right however, to see pre teens with them permanently attached to their ear.
It's a question all parents should ask themselves; at what age should I give my kid a cell? Do I have the answer? Well I have an opinion.
I personally think that no child should have a cell before they are a teenage, 14 being the earliest age.
They will have a wider circle of friends by this age and be able to do a lot more unsupervised.
By giving them their own phone at this age they are old enough to appreciate it and it is also there for emergencies.
There is no reason at all to let a kid under the age of 14 a phone.
They won't take responsibility seriously and as they shouldn't be going to places where they aren't getting picked up, they have no need to contact you.
They will think of the cell as some kind of toy and abuse it.
You must have heard the horror stories about the parents getting their cell phone bills and their kids have ran up hundreds of dollars worth of calls.
This is where I would advise you getting them a pay as you go phone.
You can then keep a check on the minutes they are using and what hey are spending.
A good way is to top it up at the beginning of the month and tell them that if they use up their allowance before the month is out, they will have to top it up themselves.
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